Karnali's staple crop production sags under drought

Jumla, May 15: The prolonged drought, the biggest in 40 years in Karnali, has resulted in production losses amounting to whopping Rs 1.40 billion in staple crops.

The Mugu district has taken the highest toll of the drought. Of the 24 VDCs in Mugu, 12 VDCs are in a crisis-hit situation while the rest are verging on crisis, District Agriculture Development Office, Mugu senior official, Dr Chanda Prasad Risal, said.

"The rainy seasonal crops have witnessed a slump of around 40 to 60 per cent while the winter crops saw a decline by 75 to 80 per cent," Risal said. He said the district needed 11, 578 metric tons of food crops.

In Kalikot district, a decline in production amounting to Rs 390 million in food crops was recorded, said senior agriculture development official, Sunil Singh.

In Humla, the drought inflicted a loss amounting to Rs 117.71 million in food crops. Planning official, KB Rokaya, said the crop production was hit with 24 to 80 per cent decline affecting 353 households. There are 27 VDCs in Humla.

Dolpa with 23 VDCs is also hard hit by the drought. Food crops in Saldang, Bhijera, Dho, Tinja, Charka and Mukot VDCs are in perilous state. In Jumla, the production has sagged by 30 to 40- per cent amounting to a loss of Rs 250 million, according to senior agriculture development official, Bishnu Bahadur Mahat.

The production growth of staple crops as paddy, maize, millet and buckwheat among other have also witnessed gradual decline whereas the winter crops as wheat among others were the hardest hit by the drought. RSS